Dr. Gilbert Hawkins

Keynote: The Application of Instabilities in Microfluidic Jets to Digital Offset Printing - A Success Story for MEMS Research Adoption

The ability to precisely make and control picoliter-sized droplets from arrays comprising thousands of jets at megahertz frequencies has come only recently, due to the availability of MEMS manufacturing facilities and to the recognition of the importance of such arrays to variable data printing. We describe a new inkjet printing technology based on thermally stimulated breakup of jets of complex fluids that allows variable data printing to move into high-speed, “offset class” markets. Collaborations with BSAC researchers helped our understanding of the physics of microjet instabilities to enable the design and fabrication of the key MEMS components.